Alvin Straight’s six-week journey to see his brother was adapted into a movie
The story of how Alvin Straight drove 240 miles on a lawnmower to see his sick brother was made into a film called The Straight Story. However, the actual journey was far from glamorous. His unusual choice of vehicle was because his eyesight had deteriorated too much for the state to grant him a driver’s license.
When his 80-year-old brother suffered a stroke, Straight decided to do everything he could to physically go see him. His lawnmower broke down twice during the six-week journey. He also ran out of money while in Charles City, Iowa, and had to camp there for a few days.